There’s no question that E.L.F. Beauty’s “So Many Dicks” campaign from Oberland deserves a lofty spot in the Innuendo Hall of Fame. We all got a nice chuckle—until one starts peeling back the layers of what’s really going on here.
Melinda Fried of E.L.F. Beauty and Lisa Topol, Oberland ECD, broke it all down, and we learned a ton about this work.
Campaign background and concept
The campaign is built around E.L.F. Beauty’s board diversity—which stands out as only one of four companies out of 4,200 publicly traded with such diverse representation. The goal is to encourage more companies to follow suit.
“E.L.F. prides itself on being a bold disruptor with a kind heart, and Oberland aligns perfectly with that persona.”—Melinda Fried
Oberland’s creative team came up with the idea after discovering that there are more CEOs named “John” than all women CEOs combined.
This led to the “So Many Dicks” concept, which highlights the over-representation of men named Richard, Rick, or Dick on boards compared to diverse groups.
“It’s not that there’s anything wrong with there being a Richard, Rick, or Dick on the board. The issue is just that there are so few of everyone else.”—Lisa Topol
Strategic and creative execution
The campaign boldly conveyed a serious message, aiming to humanize and personalize the issue. The mix of creative assets included a landing page with AI-generated images of stereotypical-looking male corporate board members and a storyline that made significant points while telling the E.L.F. story and mission incredibly well.
Three chapters (so far)
The campaign is structured in phases, each building on the last.
Chapter One involved E.L.F. teaming up with the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) to sponsor diverse candidates.
Chapter Two featured Billie Jean King, highlighting facts and raising awareness.
Chapter Three introduced the “So Many Dicks” campaign, with future chapters to be revealed.
Almost 100% positive sentiment: The campaign snapped up mind-boggling media attention and positive sentiment, with nearly 100% positive feedback on social channels. It has spurred conversations across a wide range of audiences, from business to fashion, and led to increased affinity for E.L.F. as a purpose-driven brand.
“This is the reason I went into purpose-led advertising. So often you get briefs like this, but the company that’s giving you that brief doesn’t really walk the walk and talk the talk. But e.l.f. actually means what it says.”—Lisa Topol
Learn more
- OBERLAND
- E.L.F. Beauty’s “So Many Dicks” campaign
- Lisa Topol (LinkedIn)
- Melinda Fried (LinkedIn)
- Adweek coverage
- Fast Company coverage
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Doug Zanger is the founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News. He is also the founder of the Creative Bohemian consultancy, lives in the Pacific Northwest and is insufferable about it.
